The Internet of Things (IOT), promises to revolutionize the way that we perceive of the world around us. With more and more everyday “things,” coming with internet connectivity, it’s not really surprising that many are already asking whether or not this will leave people open to attacks by cyber criminals. The convergence between IOT and Cyber Attacks tends to be particularly blood curdling. Imagine your home air conditioner being hacked and turning up the temperature in the middle of the night. Or being locked into your very home, with the doors only being opened after the payment of a ransom.
A frightening scenario
You can also imagine driving your internet connected car down the road some day in the near future. Suddenly, you hear the sound of all the doors getting locked. The vehicle becomes unresponsive and now appears to have developed a mind of its own. It then deviates from your usual route and deposits you at some dingy warehouse, where the criminals who have just hijacked it hold you for ransom.
This is not a far fetched scenario. With the presence of self driving, internet connected vehicles, what we have described above could actually happen. That is the reason why experts around the world have become so worried about the implications of the Internet Of Things on cybersecurity.
Some hard facts
Just consider the following real time example; in 2016, Dimension Data reported that there had been a spike in the number of Denial of Service attacks around the globe, largely due to the fact that many IOT devices do not come with adequate security protocols.
Should you be worried about security for IOT devices?
The truth of the matter is that most people are not really concerned about the security of their internet connected everyday devices. Who is going to attack a vehicle, right? Well, there are criminals out there who would do that for any of a wide range of reasons.
According to HP, 70% of all IOT devices are vulnerable to attacks. What this means is that the manufacturers of IOT devices have not really taken the time to ensure that the things that they are producing are protected.
Going forward
The truth of the matter is that we are still a long way from seeing a truly IOT world. However, before that happens, real thought needs to be put into ensuring that whatever it is that comes with internet connectivity is properly protected from cyber attacks.
Otherwise the technologies that are needed to move forward in this regard will find very few takers around the world.
